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Last week on socials, my colleague, Rebecca, argued that there are three books you have to read to be well-read. As you might imagine, the people responded with energy. I’m not here to quibble over the definition of well-read or which books should and should not make the cut, but I am here to celebrate one of the books Rebecca listed in that video. I read this book in college as an English major, if that helps with the well-read argument, and it was a breath of fresh air. This book was a Black, feminist revelation in a sea of white, male coursework and I remember literally hugging my used paperback after finishing the last page. This author has made such a big impact on me over the years as I got to know her and her work, I even named one of my daughters after her.
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
One of the numerous features of Zora Neale Hurston’s writing that pulls me into her work again and again is her ability to paint a rich portrait with words. From the dialogue to the characters to the settings, she quickly and deftly drops you into unfamiliar territory and somehow makes it feel like home. Their Eyes Were Watching God was my introduction to Hurston and I didn’t know she was an anthropologist as well as a novelist when I picked up this book.
Thoughtful observation is Hurston’s bag and it shows in this story following Janie Crawford who grows up in a Black community in rural Florida. Beautiful, promising Janie endures hardship and heartbreak through marriages, tragedy, and even natural disaster until she arrives at the truth of herself. This is the trajectory of the story, but what made it special for me is that it’s a book that mostly concerns itself with the lives of Black people, rather than Black people under the gaze and oppression of white people, and that it centers a Black woman who claims agency. This made it a rare and refreshing read among the classics I was assigned in pursuit of molding well-read students and, more than that, Hurston brought Janie to life with all her complexities, developing philosophies, and flaws. I found Janie to be an enthralling and exciting individual to follow and get to know.
Beyond Their Eyes, Hurston’s catalog is mainly nonfiction and anthropological. With this novel, Hurston seems to direct her anthropological gaze inward. She grew up in the all-Black town of Eatonville, Florida and certainly draws from her own experiences, being involved in multiple, short-lived marriages and basing one character on a former lover. I hope she wrote this book for herself; she certainly wrote it for me.
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